Science Updates Archive 6

Baculovirus: Genetic Pesticide -
A genetically engineered virus producing a toxin found in scorpions has proven to an effective killer of cotton bollworms and tobacco budworms in the first field test conducted in the US, report researchers at the University of Georgia.

More News on Leptin -
New research provides an improved understanding of the role of leptin, a protein produced by the "obese" gene, in weight gain in humans, report investigators at Rockefeller University.

Vitamin C and the Common Cold -
A new study from Finland rekindles the debate on whether or not vitamin C benefits those suffering the symptoms of the common cold.

Sex Differences Start Early -
Sex differences in brain organization occur earlier in humans than previously believed according to new research from the University at Buffalo presented at a conference of the Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Bioengineered Bandages -
New bioengineered bandages go beyond the barrier role played by Band-Aids to provide immune stimulation and quicker healing, report researchers from the University of Akron.

Forest Carbon Storage Diminishing -
Amid concern about carbon emissions and their impact on global warming, recent research at Oregon State University and the Environmental Protection Agency suggests that the shrinking forests of the United States may not be able to keep up with the carbon that the nation is injecting into the atmosphere.

G Proteins Key in Arthritic Inflamation -
New findings from Johns Hopkins University researchers suggest G-proteins are a key link in the chain reaction that causes inflammation of the lining of the joints in arthritis.

Female Hyenas and Male Hormones, A Strange Combination -
Aggression pays off for female spotted hyenas -- the most masculinized females in the animal kingdom -- but only if they must survive their first experience with a strange and often fatal birthing process, report researchers at UC Berkeley.

Nobel Prize to Ozone Researchers -
Three noted chemistry researchers have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for atmospheric studies which led to an understanding of how the ozone layer forms and decomposes.

Bat Barometers Signal Meal Time -
Bats appear to use a built in barometer to determine the chances of a good night's bug hunting, according to a study by Ken Paige of the University of Illinois Institute for Environmental Studies.

Time To Leave -
Scientist Robert Joly, is much in demand when the leaves begin to change in Autumn. It is at this time that friends, relations and students turn to him, an associate professor of horticulture at Purdue University, to again explain why the leaves change color and die.

Common Herbicide A Carcinogen? -
Atrazine, a common agricultural herbicide that often makes its way into US drinking water rapidly causes chromosomal damage in test animals at exposure levels below those established by the EPA as safe, according to researchers at the University of Illinois.

Alzeimer's, Birdsong Linked? -
A gene that is known to contribute to the progression of Alzheimer's disease also appears to play a role in song-learning in birds, according to researchers at the University of Illinois.

Beer Belly Gene? -
Can't button that top button? Maybe you need new genes. Canadian researchers have identified a gene associated with body shape in men, but not in women. This is the first gene to be identified with an association with body shape.

Embryonic Proteins Caught In "Signals War" -
Regulatory proteins involved in the growth and development of fly and possibly mammalian embryos, are controlled by warring signals that keep each other in check in a way that is now only being understood, according to a Weizmann Institute study.

Studies Tap In to Drinking Water Quality -
Chemical disinfectants used to kill microorganisms in drinking water may themselves be contributing toxic byproducts to the water supply, reported Purdue researchers at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Global Climate Quick Change -
A series of deep sea core samples obtained by paleoceanographers at UC Santa Barbara suggest that major changes in global climate can occur in a period as short as a human lifetime.

New Alzheimer's Candidate Gene -
A gene identified in an extended German family with a high prevalence of Alzheimer's disease adds an important piece to the research puzzle, report researchers.

Gene Juice for Failing Follicles? -
It may soon be possible to resuscitate gray hair and recover follicles that have gone dormant, suggest the results of a somewhat bizarre experiment conducted by researchers at a small biotechnology company here.

RNA Satellite Stops Killer Tomato Virus -
A monster in the tomato patch, the cucumber mosaic virus, can be stopped cold with an immunization of enzyme-blocking RNA called a viral satellite, report researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

First Complete Genome Sequenced -
A team of researchers have managed to complete a genetic map of the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae. This accomplishment represents the first complete genetic map of a free-living organism and should speed efforts to sequence the human genome.